


That Valentine's Day Episode

by 000BowTie000



Category: Assassination Classroom
Genre: Akabane Karma - Freeform, Akabane/Nakamura, Class 3 E (Assassination Classroom), F/M, I Tried, I wish this was a more acceptable ship, Karma Akabane and Rio Nakamura, Karma/Rio, Nakamura Rio - Freeform, Rio Nakamura and Karma Akabane
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:33:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22178617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/000BowTie000/pseuds/000BowTie000
Summary: This is just an extended/alternate version of the Valentine's Day episode. They spent it together and no one even acknowledged it?
Relationships: Akabane Karma & Nakamura Rio, Akabane Karma/Nakamura Rio
Comments: 13
Kudos: 116





	1. 1/4

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally going to be a one-shot, rushed job. But then I re-watched the series and got all stupid and emotional so this ended up waaaaay longer than I intended. I haven't read the manga yet, this is purely based on the show, so I'm sorry if they seem a little OOC. This is my favorite ship in the show. Don't hate me. I'm sorry in advance.

The two watched with wide, matching grins as Kayano held her breath, silently begging for a few well wishes from her little audience. Nakamura couldn’t help but get all giddy at how nerve wracking this was for her. She could act in any position she wanted, charm her way through anyone and anything, yet this is what has her all choked up. 

“Like a kitten approaching… another kitten.”

“1,000 ¥ says she wusses out,” Karma challenges.

“You really shouldn’t bet money at our friends’ expense… double says she follows through. Winner gets bragging rights.”

“Your call,” he shrugged, “but don’t blame me if you find yourself down 2,000 ¥ and on the losing end of a -”

They went silent as Kayano was now nervously shoving Nagisa off, chocolates in hand. She flashed them a smile as gratitude while she recuperated, probably waiting for the next excuse to talk to him again. They had hoped that she would give an all-out confession, but this would suffice. There’s always next time. Truly the art of push and pull.

“Imagine being able to cast your feelings aside at the moment of truth like that. Wow, there’s no question, she’s Miss Yukimura’s sister.”

“No kidding, right? So noble. Well, damn, now I feel guilty for thinking about trying to steal from her.”

“Come again?”

“Uh, never mind, I didn’t say anything. So, yeah.”

“Hm?”

Trying to deflect, Nakamura pointed Karma in the direction of a certain, now blushing, tangled up, octopus.

“What exactly has Koro Sensei so enthralled?” 

“Ah, I had Kayano leave a note and some chocolates somewhere obvious with a special photo, of course.”

“You dog.”

“If I’d known it was gonna work this well, I would’ve used it as bait long before now.”

“A little payback for his futile efforts?”

“Pretty much.”

“Speaking of which… pony up,” she sneered while holding out her hand, making a grabby gesture. 

“Fair enough,” he admitted in defeat, slipping her a bill.


	2. 2/4

They made their way over to the trees, deciding to let Kayano be in peace and come to terms with her own victory for the day. She earned it after the teasing wore off. Nakamura propped herself up on a low hanging branch while Karma opted for leaning against the trunk, facing away. It’s not like they were consciously looking for a way to spend time together, there was just no one else to spy on and no reason to sneak around anymore. 

“Now it’s your turn, lover boy. Anyone ‘special’ you’ve got your eye on?” she asks with a telling look on her face.

“Hm. I guess there was Okuda Manami.”

“Seriously?”

“No, sarcastically,” he retorted.

“Man, you suck,” she huffed back.

“Problem?”

“Yes, Houston, we have a few. Like, when did this start? Who else knows? What about her has stolen your heart? Do you even have one? Come on, spill, it’s just me.”

“Nope. And don’t ever call me ‘lover boy’ again. It’s against my code.”

She held her hand up in good faith.

“I promise, I won’t tell anyone. If word somehow gets out, I personally give you permission to spread any blackmail you may have on me.”

“Whatever,” he said, pausing for dramatic effect. “If you really want to know, she’s obviously brilliant, sure knows her way around a chemistry lab, a lot you can do there as demonstrated. She’s got a brighter future than I probably have and not too bad looking to boot. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t a little more than admire her at some point.”

“Amazing. I wish I’d gotten a picture of that dumbass look you probably have on your face right now,” she scoffed. “Never thought I’d see the day, Karma.”

He rolled his eyes.

“ _At some point._ Don’t get ahead of yourself. That was in the past.”

“And now?” she pressed.

“I do still owe her for White Day. The only reason she gave me something was at my own request. Come to think of it, although she’s indulged me in the self-satisfaction I get from watching someone squirm, that’s not exactly what I would call ‘stealing my heart.’ And purely from observation, not even how a friendship should be. I’d just be using her.

There’s a lot she could assist me with, offer me, teach me, but I have nothing to give back. The only thing I could possibly show her is a good time, how to loosen up, maybe. But it’s trivial stuff. There’s no personal connection there. Besides, what’s teaching someone without using it to help them grow? 

I know my moral compass doesn’t always point due north, but even I know the scale shouldn’t tip that way.”

Nakamura cleared her throat awkwardly, stifling back a fit of laughter. 

“What I _meant_ was, is there anyone _else_ special you’ve got your eye on now? But by all means, don’t be afraid to dump your purse out all over my lap.”

_Now she’s laughing. Way to go. Pretty sure you’re not supposed to express your inner monologue by speaking it out loud, kind of ruins the impact. Better to leave things to the imagination. But here I am._

He exhaled.

“Other than Nagisa, I’d never had the occasion to make personal connections with anyone. Not that I need to, of course.”

“So, we’re opening up _that_ wound, huh? Friendship? Ok, I give. Found any good friends lately?”

“Who says I’m looking? But if I had to pick someone, I’d settle for you,” he smirked to himself.

“Hey, I’m worth more than _that_. You could only be so lucky to have me. And anyway, does that answer my first or second question?”

_Say something. But for the love of god, not out loud. Change the subject so this doesn’t get weirder than it already has._

Karma shook his head, rolled up the sleeves of his jacket, and shoved his hands back in his pockets, still avoiding eye contact. 

“By the way, since when were we on a first name basis?”

Nakamura just shrugged, letting it go. She could at least let him have this.

“To be honest, I always thought that was your family name somehow, not your given name. Nobody corrected me. I can just call you Akabane from now on if you’d like.”

“Too late. It’s already stuck, _Rio_.”

As she rambled on a bit, Karma could feel his train of thought drifting because _what possessed me to say all that?_

It left him feeling a bit too vulnerable for comfort.


	3. 3/4

“So, you show me yours and I’ll show you mine?” Nakamura offered.

Karma turned to face her for the first time.

“By all means.”

Somehow, she couldn’t look him in the eye either.

“Truth is, I did have a soft spot for our favorite class monitor. I caught on pretty early that Kayano had a thing for him too. She has known him longer than I have. And being the competitive person that I am, thought I could one up her. 

He’s set out to do great things, it’s written all over him. I would only hold him back. I already had the grades, so I skipped class all the time, went against my parents’ wishes, and only did things out of spite against them and my teachers. In hindsight, I think I was just lonely from being sent here and he was the first one to provide any sort of comfort, since my old friends left me isolated. 

But process of elimination isn’t grounds for liking someone. Besides, I have bigger things to worry about, like the class. The only thing we all have in common is reaching Koro Sensei’s deadline. That’s worth holding on to.”

Karma shuffled in his spot looking down, searching for some kind of remark about how much more she had just unloaded on him than he did to her.

“Funny, didn’t take you for the sentimental type.”

“Well, what do you know about me anyway?”

“Enough to know that your guard is official broken. You lose.”

“Excuse me?” she asked, now genuinely confused.

“You lose. I thought I over-shared today, but that was almost applause-worthy if it wasn’t so sappy. At least I get to keep some of my dignity. Don’t worry, there’s enough for both of us.”

They sat back to back, licking their wounds from their bruised egos as they had just bared some of their scars to each other for no good reason. It was enough to enjoy the quietness that came over them. The strange thing was, it wasn’t even uncomfortable. There was no need for filler, no need to even think. It was peaceful to find solace in each other’s company and nothing else. They could feel a mutual spark of understanding, maybe even trust, growing between them – something neither of them were all too familiar with. 

“We’re… ok, right? This doesn’t change anything?” Nakamura asked, internally smacking herself for how much more pathetic that sounded out loud.

“Of course it does. I finally have some aforementioned blackmail on you,” Karma replied, with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

A joke didn’t seem all that appropriate right now. For the first time, he could actually feel the weight of the sincerity in her voice. Neither would acknowledge it, but there was also a hint of disappointment in each of their voices they noticed respectively. Both were hoping the other would say something more, pushing in some sort of direction that would tell them where they stand. Anything for closure, though that may be a misnomer. Nothing ever closes. It just becomes an extension of what was already there.


	4. 4/4

Karma glanced over his shoulder and started to pull himself back up, offering Nakamura a hand as she straightened out her uniform skirt. 

“We should probably get back now before Koro Sensei spots us and makes a photo album out of it,” he advised, hoping to salvage what was left of the cement on their brick walls, though counterintuitive as it may be.

_I’m already worn down, what’s one more gesture? It’s a bit out of the ordinary for me to give her something today, but that’s how it goes with us. Though I’m not sure what “it” and “us” I’m referring to yet._

“By the way, thought I’d—” He patted down his jacket, looking for the spare box he had picked up before school.

“Looking for this?” Nakamura teased, holding up a tiny, albeit very sumptuous box of chocolate. “You practically _let_ me swipe these from you, you should be more careful next time.”

“What next time? And who said they were for you?” 

“Who else would they be for? And that look on your face right now?” she pointed at him, accusingly, “how much more of a confession do I need? Besides, I should be giving these to you, don’t you realize? It’s not like you to go around begging for favors from someone else. That would be lame. So, here,” she remarked, shoving them towards his chest. 

“You got me. It’s not like there’s anyone else to give them to. Keep them. No point in rewarding someone with the very thing you stole from them,” he sneered.

“Please, it’s the least I could do,” she insisted, ironically. “Besides, it’s just a debt of gratitude for-”

“Gracing you with my presence today?”

“Ass.” 

She playfully smacked his shoulder, forcing a laugh out of him. 

“I was going to say for… today. You did get me this very impressive box,” she observed, noting the ornate pattern. “It’s even tied with a bow. Didn’t think I’d see you put in the effort for someone other than yourself.”

“It’s just a formality,” he tried to shrug off.

“Right, because you walked into the store and said ‘great, this will show off my cold, callous heart, not that I care, I’m Karma Akabane.’”

“Ouch. It’s like you’re dumping me before I even got to make a move. Tell you what, help me find the perfect guy to plant these on with a secret admirer note and we’ll call it even. Should make for some levity, all things considered today.”

“Deal.”

“I’ll even walk you home, considering I put up such a cold front and all.”

“Is that so?”

“No way. Not unless you beg.”

As he started to walk past her, Nakamura slyly snuck the 2,000 ¥ back into his back pocket, once again, getting one up on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to bury my head in the sand now.

**Author's Note:**

> The chapters only get longer from here because I ramble.


End file.
